Final Distance
by chichamunkyhead
Summary: Um... *looks around* NOT TELLING!! *chibi wants you to guess!!*
1. Gratification of Ecstasy

Uh – untitled for now…

Final Distance  
  
Disclaimer: Anything that I use that I say isn't mine... isn't mine. For real. Really. If I say something's mine, well then - don't think about using it without my permission, ok? Um... I usually don't own anything. And for now (well, for eternity, rather) I don't. So don't sue, ok??  
  
Um, ok. Now, if you're going to reach the end of this, and you've already read a certain fanfic by a certain lime_lizard here on fanfiction.net, then... please don't be upset!!! I really felt bad when I told her about it; I felt like I was copying off of her. Gomen, lime-chan! But I'll try to make this story as far away from hers as possible, even though they both run on sort of the same parallel.  
  
I guess you all want the fic now. ^_^  
  
BG info: They're 19 now. That means that Taichi, Yamato, and Sora are all 19, Jyou's 20... I guess you all get it.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Moshi moshi?"  
  
"Sora? It's Jyou."  
  
"Ah, konbawa!" Her usually cheerful voice cut to Jyou, breaking down his layers of embarrassment, reminding him that this was a childhood friend.  
  
"Ano, my brother, Shin, is having his 22 birthday soon. I was wondering if you'd like to go." Feeling that she might not have remembered him, he took the opportunity to remind her. "You do remember him, right?"  
  
"Of course I do! I think he was working with my Father in Kyoto a few years back..." Her voice trailed.  
  
"Well, ... would you mind coming, then? He's not going to school too far away - I figured maybe we could all drive there."  
  
"Mm, sounds like a plan. Um, would anybody else I know be going?" Sora hoped that she and Jyou wouldn't be the only people there who would be stuck as wallflowers for the night.  
  
"Actually, I was going to call Taichi and Yamato. They met him a few days after that whole Oikawa thing happened a few years back."  
  
"Oh, I see..." She trailed off again, and Jyou could faintly her motions and running in the background.  
  
A long pause followed.  
  
"Um, Sora...?"  
  
"Hm?" She sounded as if nothing had happened.  
  
"Are you ok?"  
  
"Yeah - as good as can be expected! Why do you ask?"  
  
"No reason, I guess."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"So..."  
  
"Here, hang on - someone's at the door. Talk to Yamato, or maybe Taichi; whichever gets the phone first."  
  
"EH??!!!" Jyou nearly fell off his chair - he didn't expect one of the two boys, let alone both, to be at her apartment at that exact moment.  
  
"Hey, Jyou."  
  
"Ah... konbawa..." He still sounded dazed.  
  
"Daijobu?? Sora said you had something to tell us?"  
  
"Oh yeah - well, if you didn't already know, my brother's having a birthday celebration soon. I know it sounds weird coming from me, but would you like to tag along? I don't know if you remember Shuu all that well..."  
  
"Oh, of course I remember him! What about you, Taichi?"  
  
Jyou heard Taichi's faint, yet still uncomprehending, voice in the background.  
  
"Mm, we'll both go. When's this 'happening' party, um..."  
  
"Happening?" Sora added.  
  
"Yeah - when's all this going down?"  
  
Jyou thought for a minute. "Well, I'm pretty sure it's next Friday."  
  
"Good - that's the last day of our break for the semester."  
  
"Great then. I guess I'll drive you all there - meet at my apartment, ok?"  
  
"Sure, I'm game. I gotta go now, check ya later."  
  
"Uh, yeah... see you later." And with that, Jyou hung up the phone.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
"What did Jyou say?" Sora placed the largebox down on her dining room table, opening it to reveal a pizza smothered in pepperoni, sausage, ham, and bacon.  
  
"He said we have to go out, buy him a bunch of puppies, flowers, and kitties, and then we have to give him $100 more dollars for another gift for his brother. Is that ok with you, Sora?"  
  
Once she got the point that Taichi was being sarcastic, she stuck her tongue out at him, which he promptly mimicked.  
  
"Yamato, what did he really say?"  
  
"He wants us to meet at his apartment next Friday so he'll drive us there."  
  
"Good. At least I can get a straight answer out of one of you..." She eyed Taichi warily as he emerged from the kitchen with a pizza-cutter.  
  
"Enough with the chat-chit, let's get to the munchies..." He promptly cut the pizza into eight equal slices, stealing three for himself, and leaving Yamato and Sora to split up the five remaining.  
  
Sora slid two onto her plate, then handing a plate to Yamato. As she walked into the other room, she found Taichi sitting on the couch, munching away at his dinner, about to turn the tv on.  
  
"Before you do anything, Yagami Taichi, you will get off of my new couch and sit on the floor to eat. Unless you want to clean the cushion yourself when you're done..."  
  
"All right - fine... I'm getting off!"  
  
Sora laughed at him as he slid off the white couch cushion, and down onto the floor. Sora opted to sit down in between her couch and the coffee table, stretching her legs out underneath the glass. Taichi moved next to her, assuming the same position. The space between the table and the couch made for a perfect eating position, and Sora soon found out that Yamato agreed.  
  
"Oh - as long as you're still standing, can you get me a water out of the kitchen??" She smiled coyly at him to persuade further.  
  
With a huff, Yamato disappeared from the room and back into the kitchen.  
  
"I'm so tired of studying!!" Taichi whined as he flipped the channels over and over.  
  
It nearly drove Sora insane how fast he would work his thumb over the remote. "You have the attention span of a gnat... Did you know that?" She looked over at him as she took a bite of a slice.  
  
"You just rhymed. Did you know that?" He met her gaze, watching her as she set the slice back on its plate.  
  
"You're incredibly corny... did you know that?"  
  
"You... You..." Taichi struggled to find a good come-back, but none could be found.  
  
Sora laughed, turning to grab the remote and take another bite.  
  
Yamato returned to the room, carrying a bottle of water and a can of root beer. "Here you are, your highness... One fresh bottle of water."  
  
"Fresh from what?"  
  
Yamato searched for an answer as he sat down to her other side. "From the tap?"  
  
She again laughed, turning to change the channel again.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
Two weeks had past, and Sora now stood at Jyou's apartment, waiting for him to answer the door. She crossed her arms over her chest, her foot tapping. She wore black knee-high boots, a slinky black wrap-around tie skirt, a berry-red tube top she had worn due to Mimi's persuasion and constant nagging, a gray duster, and a thick choker to match her shirt. A brown corduroy knee-length cote hugged her frame tightly; a chilly October breeze whipping past the high apartment. Her light brown hair lay in loose curls around her face, which was decorated with light touches of make-up. Shivering as another wind wrapped her in an unfriendly embrace, she turned around to hear the locks on the door finally click open.  
  
"Sorry to keep you waiting out there, Sora. Come on in!"  
  
"Thanks, Jyou. Yamato's not here yet?" She unzipped the boots, stepping into the foyer.  
  
"No, he called and said he had something to do. I gave him directions, and he said he'd drive himself."  
  
"Oh, I see."  
  
"Yeah. Make yourself comfortable - Taichi just called and said he be here in a few minutes."  
  
"Ok, thanks." Sora walked around the apartment, eyeing all the personal touches Jyou had added in. He lived pretty secluded, though close to the university he attended. Sora guessed he had a roommate, seeing as how some of the pictures didn't hold Jyou's appearance, and wondered who and where the person was on a Friday night.  
  
She was yanked out of her thoughts when the doorbell rang.  
  
"Can you get that, Sora?" Jyou called from his room.  
  
"Sure!" She waltzed towards the door, and undid all the locks, to open the door to find a very nicely-dressed Taichi.  
  
"Well hey there, good-lookin'..." He reached out to hold her wrist, bringing his body closer to hers.  
  
"Stop it, Taichi..." She pulled away from him, and walked into the warm apartment once again.  
  
"Aw, come on! You look great tonight!"  
  
She gave an exasperated reply of thanks, not thinking too much of it.  
  
"I'm serious! You really look very good!"  
  
"I dunno..." She turned around and looked at Taichi, wearing a simple white button-up dress shirt, and some black chinos. The shirt was un-tucked, giving a very daring, yet still casual, look; a black leather coat rested atop his shoulders. On his feet were some black boots that looked like they were meant more for hiking rather than schmoozing with some upperclassmen. Still, they somehow fit the outfit... "Posh-dressing isn't exactly my forte..."  
  
"Then who the hell made you look so damn good?"  
  
Sora rolled her eyes in response. "Who do you think?"  
  
"Mimi?"  
  
"Give the boy a prize!!" She spun around on her heels to look at the rest of the décor of the apartment. Sighing, she called to Jyou. "Ready yet, Jyou?"  
  
"Yup, just let me get my jacket." He emerged from his room wearing black pants similar to Taichi's, and a light blue dress shirt that complemented his hair and eyes nicely. He left the top few buttons undone, exposing a white shirt underneath. As he walked past, Sora gave him a sly look, then shifted her gaze to Taichi as Jyou donned his leather jacket.  
  
"Hey, Taichi, will you be jealous if I started hanging around Jyou the rest of my life?"  
  
Sora watched as Taichi thought for a second, then turned to the blue-haired genius. "Jyou, where'd you learn to dress like that?"  
  
She only laughed, walking back to get her boots on again.   
  
"All right, you two - let's get going."  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
"Where's that damn dirty bastard?"  
  
"What did you say?!" Sora whipped her head around to Taichi, a complete look of shock gracing her features.  
  
"I mean... where's Yamato?" He faked a very corny smile, then dropped it as Sora turned away.  
  
"I've been asking the same question all night and an now, just an hour after he's supposed to be here, you start to worry?"  
  
"Don't worry Sora - I'm only trying to make sure that he gets in that steamy dance with you in front of everyone before we leave." He laughed as he finished his sentence.  
  
"I really do hate you, did you know that?" She turned to face him this time, trying to emphasize her mock-insult. Her hands were planted firmly on her hips, her weight shifted to one side. She could hear the beats of dance music being played in the background; one of her favorite songs playing at the moment.  
  
"And I really like the way you look tonight..." Arms wrapped themselves around her waist as a husky voice whispered in her ear.  
  
Sora whirled around upon hearing the voice in her ear, shivers still running up her spine. "Who-? Yamato! You made it, good!" She wrapped him in a tight embrace, closing her eyes. As she inhaled, she could faintly smell a cologne on him, and she could only imagine what lucky girl would be dancing with him later that night, inhaling the same scent. As she pulled away, it was then that she realized Yamato's hands were at her hips; she quickly ignored saying anything about it, and shifted her attention to his clothes.  
  
Studying him over, she saw he wore a black dress shirt, unbuttoned in a similar fashion to Jyou's, and black pants of the same color. The unbuttoning left no idea lingering in the watcher's mind as to how well-built Yamato was. It seemed he wanted to be dark as midnight, but his blonde hair had given him away. "Mm, you look good!" She slapped his arm for emphasis.  
  
"As do you, my sexy posh princess..."  
  
"Stop it!" she replied, blushing a bit.  
  
"Why?"  
  
Through gritted teeth, she gave her answer. "Because people are staring!"  
  
"Well, what's wrong with that?"  
  
"Everything!" Taichi's exasperated answer came from behind them, causing the two to jump apart.  
  
Sora looked down, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks. She felt her heart skip a few beats, and butterflies danced in her stomach as if in a never-ending field of wild orchids. She began to think about what Yamato had said, and then realized something. ~Taichi was only making passes at me earlier in the evening, too!~ She began to giggle, which graduated into a laugh, which could only then be stifled by a hand over her mouth. Sora raised her head to look at Taichi, only meeting puzzled chocolate brown eyes.  
  
"Mind telling us what you're laughing at, now, our 'sexy posh princess?'" That received a daggered-glare from Yamato.  
  
"Other than Taichi's face, of course, Sora...?"  
  
That only caused her to giggle more. After calming down a bit, she was finally able to answer. "I don't think you can really blame him, Taichi."  
  
"Why's that?"  
  
"Because only a few hours ago, when you first saw me, you were saying the same thing!"  
  
Taichi rolled his eyes, half in exasperation; half in embarrassment. Sora could only elicit more giggles behind her hands, taking care not to smudge any make-up.  
  
Yamato noticed the excessive laughing, then leaned into ask Taichi a question. "Are you sure she hasn't had anything to drink tonight?"  
  
As she calmed down again, Sora answered for Taichi. "No, I'm fine...!" Hearing the song fade into another song she liked, she regained her composure and sighed.  
  
Yamato got an idea into his head, and a mischievious glint in his eye. "Hey Sora, have you danced at all tonight?"  
  
"No, why?"  
  
Without any other word from Sora, he pulled her hand into the room that was pumping the music in the first place; it seemed as if half the party was in the room itself. He stopped amidst a crowd of dancing fiends, and turned to face her.  
  
"Come on!"  
  
She laughed, shaking her head a bit. "You can't be serious!"  
  
Still holding her hand, he pulled her closer to himself. "I am serious," he whispered.  
  
With one glance into his crystal blue eyes, she knew what he meant.  
  
"Now, come on..." Slowly, their bodies began to pick up the rhythm, as they circled each other like two snakes in a duel of death. Sora felt her temperature climb as Yamato's arms worked around her, trailing up her sides and giving her goosebumps in places she never thought possible. ~I never thought that dancing could release so much tension...~ Throwing caution to the wind, she threw her head back and let her body take over...  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
After a few dances together, they thought it best to sit down and take in a refreshment. Yamato lead her to the wall, an arm dangled around her waist, and sat her down in a chair. "Stay here - I'll be right back."  
  
She nodded an ok, and watched him leave. Climbing down from the throes of near-heaven, she sighed and slouched down in the chair. ~Kamisama... How could only a few dances have made me like him so much..?? Gods...~ Feeling rather hot, she felt it proper time to take the acrylic duster off. Slipping it into the chair, and brushing any fuzzy lint things off of her arms, she waited for Yamato to come back. Sora looked around the room, hoping to find Taichi in the crowd.  
  
He found her first. "Sora!"  
  
Looking in the direction of the voice, she found it to be the person she was searching out. "Taichi, hey!" She stood up, ready to greet him. "What's up?"  
  
"Nothing; I just couldn't find you back there."  
  
"Oh, sorry about that." She looked away, still waiting for a drink to rid her of a dry throat.  
  
As she did, though, Taichi couldn't exactly tear his eyes away from her figure. The slinky fabric of the black skirt draped over her curves generously, and the cranberry tube-top only made the torture worse. He watched as her chest rose and fell with each tired gasp that escaped her lips. ~Wait, what am I thinking?! This is Sora we're talking about here!~ Shaking his head and freeing himself of any further thoughts of her physical features, he looked around the room. Desperate for conversation, he brought up the first thing that was in his head.  
  
"Tired?" He looked over to her.  
  
Not hearing him at first, she gave him a confused look. "Oh yeah! I never knew that that much dancing could take that much energy out of you...!" She had to yell through the noise level in the room, which was a little less than bearable.   
  
"Well, then, this should help!"  
  
Sora turned around to find Yamato with a cup of soda, and handed it to her. Sighing, she had to yell again. "Ah, thank you!" She took a sip, feeling not only the carbon dioxide bubbles dance on her tongue, but something else... Something that didn't exactly taste like soda...  
  
Ignoring it, she put her cup down on the table behind her, feeling a bit better. Yamato did the same, turning to talk to Taichi again.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
After about three more sodas, Sora found herself on the dance floor again, with Taichi and Yamato around her. The three of them danced together, letting their inhibitions run in the wind. Sora felt herself being pulled back and forth between them - Taichi would pull her to him, draping her arms around his neck, and his hands resting at her hips; other times, she would find her back cuddling into Yamato's chest, his hands either holding hers or grasping her pelvis and waistline. She felt as if she were on air, dancing back and forth between two people who now weren't considered her best friends in her eyes, but two very eligible bachelors. The feeling of Taichi's hands on her hips made her sigh, desperate for air, but feeling Yamato's breath tickle and circle her neck made her weak in the knees. At one point, she again found herself just dancing in between them, her hips still moving to the beat. She leaned into whisper a request for a pause in Taichi's ear, and in turn, he tapped Yamato on the shoulder, dragging him away from the crowd again.  
  
Sora walked behind Taichi, who lead them over to a couch to sit on. She promptly planted herself down, reclined into the soft cushion. The two males did the same, and sighed in unison. Sora laughed, then followed suit.  
  
Yamato wrapped an arm casually around her, and met her eyes to ask her a question. "Tired yet?"  
  
"A little... It's good, though, that they opened those balcony doors over there a little while back. It would have really gotten hot in there then, if they didn't."  
  
Taichi smacked a hand over hers, the sound attracting both Yamato's and Sora's attentions. "When do you guys wanna go home?"  
  
Sora thought for a second. "I don't know!"  
  
"Maybe I should take her home - she lives closer to me now, since we all moved."  
  
Taichi nodded in agreement. "I'll just go whenever, then."  
  
"Good plan!"  
  
Sora felt her head grow hot again, her heart skipping beats like never before. She watched the legs and feet shuffle in front of her, each pair passing.  
  
One stopped in front of her. "Sora?"  
  
She looked up to find a familiar face staring her down. The girl had long raven-black hair, and was wearing a purple tank top, with straight-leg black pants and open-toe strappy shoes. "Rieko?! Is that you?!!" She jumped up off the couch, leaving two very flustered faces behind her.  
  
"Sora, what are you doing here?!" Rieko embraced the girl before her, feeling good to meet a friend again. "It's so good to see you!"  
  
"I know, it's been quite a while, right?" Sora laughed as friendly conversation continued between them. "I'm actually here for a friend's brother. It's apparently his party."  
  
"Oh, you know Shin, too!"  
  
"Yeah! He actually used to work with my father. Small world, huh?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"How do you know him?"  
  
"Well - it being a small world and all, he's my boyfriend's best friend!"  
  
"Really? Wow!"  
  
"Speaking of which..." Rieko leaned into whisper in Sora's ear. "Which of these two handsome guys have you landed? The blonde, or the brunette? I think each one is up for grabs, Sora!"  
  
Blushing more than she had intended to, she pulled away. "Oh, stop! They're both really good friends!" ~Until a few hours ago...~  
  
"Whatever you say, Sora..." Hearing her name called by another person, Rieko acknowledged them, smiling as she did. "Listen, Sora - I've gotta go. I'll see you later, ok? And don't tell me that you're going to stay single with both of these guys sitting around with you!" And with that, she left.  
  
Sora stared off after the girl, laughing at her last comment. She sighed again, but was pulled back down to the couch.  
  
"So, who's your friend?"  
  
"She used to babysit me, Yamato."  
  
"Well, then how come I never knew her??"  
  
"Because, Taichi - any time that you were out with your mother, and my mom couldn't find anybody to watch me, she'd call upstairs to Rieko, and she'd come down and watch me for a few hours."  
  
Taichi seemed satisfied with the answer. "So how old is she," he pressed.  
  
"She's two years older than I am."  
  
Sora heard Taichi utter a curse, then a sigh. She laughed in response, then shifted her gaze to her hands in her lap.  
  
"It's a good thing she's older, Sora." Yamato took her hand in his, clapping their palms together.  
  
"Why's that?"  
  
"Well, besides you, she'd be the first person I'd ask out... But I don't date older women, so I guess you're still first."  
  
Sora rolled her eyes, feeling the familiar rosiness creep into her cheeks. "Stop..."  
  
"Well you know, Sora..."  
  
"No, I don't know, Taichi!"  
  
"I never even gave her a thought! You'd still be the number one girl I'd ask out..."  
  
"Yeah, uh-huh, sure!" She stood up, then turned around to the two men lying on the couch. "All right, you two - back out on the floor!" She pulled them up, and they dragged her fiercely back out to dance.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
Sora's body felt as if it were going to fall over, but her mind kept pushing her to keep her rhythm. Taichi had quit on Yamato and her around half an hour ago, and she still found herself alive as ever, still dancing next to Yamato. Only now, they were dancing to a slow song.   
  
Ki ni naru no ni kikenai  
Oyogi tsukarete kimi made muguchi ni naru  
Aitai noni mienai nami ni osarete  
Mata sukoshi tooku naru  
  
Sora's arms were circled around Yamato's neck, her chin resting in the crook of his shoulder. Her eyes drifted open and closed every few seconds, as their bodies swayed to the slow pace. ~I'm gonna fall asleep here... But at least I'm with Yamato...~ She made herself smile at this thought.  
  
Yamato's hands were resting at her hips, his lips mere breaths away from her ear. His eyes were closed contently, inhaling the lavender scent of Sora's hair. ~How does she do this to me each time I see her? It only seems to get worse... She's amazing...~  
  
"Sora?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"You awake?"  
  
She smiled, opening her eyes. "Yeah."  
  
"Good." He sighed. "Wanna go home soon?"  
  
"Sure, if that's ok with Taichi and Jyou."  
  
"Ok."  
  
"But not before we dance a couple times more."  
  
He laughed at her enthusiasm, then pulled away a bit to check his watch. Satisfied with the time, he returned his hands to their previous positions.  
  
"What time is it?" Sora whispered in his ear, breathless.  
  
"It's not the time that you should be out walking home alone..." he whispered back.  
  
"Then what time is it?"  
  
Togirenai you ni Keep it going, baby  
Onaji kimochi ja nai nara tell me  
Muri wa shinai shuugi demo  
Sukoshi nara shite mite mo ii yo  
  
"It's around 12:30."  
  
"12:30?"  
  
"No, it's 4 in the morning..." His answer caused her to laugh again.  
  
"Well, if I'm not walking home alone, then I'm glad I'm with you..." Sora's eyelids slipped closed again, engulfed in the smell of his cologne, still lingering in her mind.  
  
Yamato opened his eyes, bringing his head down for his eyes to rest at the bare skin of her neck and shoulder. It looked so pure... so unsoiled... so delicious... ~Wait, why am I thinking this way about Sora? But... I could just ask her. And I know she'd tell me if I couldn't...~  
  
She felt him duck his head, his breath on her neck again. "Sora, can I ask you something?"  
  
"You just did..."  
  
"Can I..."  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Can I take this choker off?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"So I can kiss you."  
  
I wanna be with you now  
Futari de distance chijimete  
Ima nara maniau kara  
We can start over hitotsu niwa narenai  
  
Sora thought over the question. ~If he kisses me... but... I want him to kiss me...~ "No, you can't take it off."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because I will." Sliding her arms from around his neck, she found the clasp to the collar, and undid it, wrapping her arms around his neck again. She secured the choker around her wrist, making it look like an over-sized bracelet.  
  
"Now, you can kiss me."  
  
"But I didn't ask to."  
  
"So, go ahead, then..."  
  
Yamato hesitated, then slowly and gently swept his lips over the flesh at her neck. Feeling no resistance from her, his lips fully grazed the skin again, eliciting a gasp from Sora. Trailing his lips down to the juncture where neck met shoulder, he continued to kiss her, his tongue sweeping out to lightly touch the skin.  
  
Sora couldn't believe it. What she was feeling was beyond just a kiss to her... It was... paradisiacal. She sighed, eliciting breaths of pleasure, feeling her temperature climb...  
  
But it ended all too quickly. Yamato felt that if he had kissed her anymore, and if no one were in the room, he might have had his way with her. ~But I can't... She's Sora... I couldn't do that to her...~ Stroking his lips across her neck one final time, he let out a sigh, and his head rested against hers.  
  
I wanna be with you now  
Itsu no hi ka distance mo  
Dakishimerareru you ni nareru yo  
We can start sooner, yappari I wanna be with you  
  
Sora wished for more. She wished that they were all alone, they had the rooms to themselves... the music would be playing... but only for them. Her eyes stayed closed, regretting he had torn himself away from her. "Yama..."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"For what?"  
  
He pulled away from her to look her in the eye. "For kissing you."  
  
She smiled at his timidity. "Don't feel sorry. I wanted you to..." Sora ducked her head, feeling a bit self-conscious. "...to kiss me."  
  
"You did?"  
  
"Yeah..." She smiled. Her voice was still hushed, though it seemed more than welcome. "I only wish that it could have been more for a first kiss... that's all."  
  
~First kiss..? And she's - ?!~ "Sora..." His hand came to tip her chin up, meeting her gaze so their eyes were locked. "Care to try again?"  
  
Sora smiled faintly, watching as he slowly moved his lips down to hers. Her eyes dipped closed again, and a hot tingly feeling entered her cheeks as they both met in the middle. Each fold of flesh met each other in gentle caresses, as they both began to fall deeper into the gratification of ecstasy. Yamato's hand tenderly moved from chin to cheek, cupping the rosy pink skin as his other arm wrapped itself tighter around her waist. Sora's arms eased themselves from around his shoulders; her hands now playing gently at his neck. With each kiss that Yamato brushed against her lips, Sora felt herself becoming more and more engulfed in him. ~Don't let this end, please...~  
  
She felt the kisses taper off to a slow pace, but she didn't want to let go of the feeling. Thinking that it would still linger in her mind, she pressed her lips to his once again in one final sweep. Slowly, he pulled away, staring at her for an answer.  
  
All Sora could do was dip her head down, her face a mixing pot of emotions: confusion, excitement, love, doubt, and something else... a hot feeling that entered the pit of her stomach each time she thought of his lips on hers. As a rush of fatigue and dizziness washed over her, she rested her head gently against his chest, closing her eyes once again. "Yama..."  
  
"What is it, Sora?"  
  
"You think we could go home now?"  
  
Yamato smiled. "Only if you smile for me again..."  
  
Sora opened her eyes, and backed her head away from the heat of his body to look at him. As his hand held her cheek again, she looked him over and felt a smile curl on her lips.  
  
"Good. Now, we can go." Yamato turned to lead her away, and he felt her arm hook through his. He heard Sora stifle a moan as they made their way over to where her duster lay. He picked it up, holding it out for her to shrug into. Slipping her arms into the fabric, she closed her eyes, feeling Yamato's arms once again wrap her in a heavenly embrace. His hand slipped down to hers, enlacing their fingers. "Come on, sleepyhead," he whispered.  
  
She turned to follow him out, and they waited by the door for Taichi and Jyou. Sora leaned up against a wall, feeling fatigue seep into her eyes like never before. Seconds turned into minutes... minutes into what seemed like eternities...  
  
"How long have we been waiting?"  
  
"I don't know... around five minutes, maybe?"  
  
"Too long, let's just go..."  
  
Yamato turned to reach into the closet and retrieve their coats, but stopped when he saw Sora nodding off and nearly falling over. Catching her, and waking her up at the same time, she fit perfectly into his arms, her half-awake gaze holding him in place. All Yamato could do was stare... stare into an abyssal heaven of fiery reds and hues of strawberries. Sora felt the same way, being frozen by an intense ice blue which seemed to move closer to her with each second. Without realizing it, Yamato's lips were on hers again, but this time, in a more passionate kiss. Lips worked against each other in a heated dance of desire, arms entangling themselves around each other's bodies. With each gentle kiss did Sora feel her lips parting wider and wider apart, until his tongue finally entered her mouth. Supple brushes of his tongue enticed her to go along with the motion, until his kisses fueled a trail to her neck. As his lips elicited moans and gasps of unknown pleasure, Sora knew that here wasn't the place.  
  
"Yama... we can't... right here..."  
  
Nibbling on her ear, he sighed an agreeing reply, his hand slipping down to hers again. He trodded along to the stairs, dragging a still-dazed Sora with him. Finding an empty and secluded room, he pushed the door open, and walked in. She did the same, unzipping the boots from her aching feet. No sooner were they kicked off did Yamato reclaim her lips, his kisses growing hungrier and hungrier by the second. He unbuttoned the grey blouse that he only minutes before put on her, and his arms wrapped around her back once again. Sora's hands busily worked on the buttons to Yamato's black shirt, her fingers dancing over the dark silk fabric after each one was undone. Pulling the shirt tails out of his pants, she pushed the garment over hard-muscled shoulders and arms, and Yamato pulled the wrist cuffs away from his hands fiercely. Stepping out of his shoes and back towards a bed, he followed Sora's pushes until he broke their kiss to fall back on to the mattress. He shifted backwards, pulling her down to him to sit in his lap. She crawled to him, her hungry kisses finding his yet again. His hands, resting at her knees, slowly trailed themselves up her skirt, hiking the material up as well. She moaned as his hands massaged her upper thighs, losing herself to an unknown blindness. Feeling her garments slip away at his hands, she lay back on the bed, giving into the night...  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
Sora rubbed her eyes, feeling defeated by the sunshine that poured in the window facing her. Opening them, she leaned and reached over to the clock radio on the night stand next to her. "11:30? Did I really sleep that late?" She suddenly felt a throbbing in her head; an incessant pounding that probably woke her up as well. Turning over from laying on her side now to her stomach, she felt something stopping her. It suddenly pulled her back and into the warm embrace of a body.  
  
Sora thought for a minute. ~Wait... If I'm here... and someone's on the other side of me...~ It then hit her that the only thing not revealing her nude body to the entire room was a blanket, and what or whoever was holding her. ~And if someone's...~ Sora gasped as she realized what could have happened, and what possibly did, last night.  
  
"Awake yet?" She heard the person whisper in her ear. It sounded like a familiar voice, but her mind was so clouded with pain, she couldn't place it.  
  
Not feeling like speaking, she only nodded.  
  
"Good. I was afraid you'd never wake up..."  
  
As the pieces of the puzzle as to who this mystery person began to appear and fit in with each other, tears stained the rims of Sora's eyes. ~Oh no...~ As the picture became clearer... her lying in bed wearing nothing... where she was last night... who she was with... what she had done before entering the room she now lay in... it seemed to all fit together.  
  
Swallowing her tears, she choked up the courage to ask who it was that was holding her. "Yamato?"  
  
"What is it, babe?"  
  
Wincing with the pain of knowing what had happened, she ducked her head. "Are your eyes open?"  
  
"No, why?"  
  
Sora shifted in the mattress, laying on her back; tears still threatened in her eyes. "Open them now."  
  
She watched as clear blue orbs appeared behind tired eyelids, trying to focus. "Yama..."  
  
"Oh no..."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
WAHH!!! Lime-chan thought that that (well, most of it, anyway ^^) part was amazing...  
  
I really didn't know what she was talking about!!! But anyhoo - here's my monthly installment... um, for the month.  
  
OO - btw, those lyrics (from Hikki's "Final Distance," WHICH I ALSO DON'T OWN!! ::glares at groups of lawyers ready to sue::) came from the following site:  
  
http://www.lava.net/~raistlin/  
  
You know, I was kind of worried that it would be too much like lime_lizard's fic...  
  
WHAT AM I SAYING? I STILL AM WORRIED!!!  
  
Well, here's what you do, people - you stay up late at night, listen to lots of Hikki, Daft Punk, and Gorillaz... and then you're all set to probably make the worst mistake of your writing career!! Anyhoo... I recommend you NOT do that if you're looking to write a good fic.  
  
But ::yawn:: I'M REALLY TIRED!!! So, I guess I'll see you tomorrow... err, today!!! OO - THE DIGIMON MARATHON IS ON LATER!!! ::chibi needs to go to bed to watch:: Oyasumi!!! ::waves::


	2. Mess of Color

Final Distance

Final Distance

Disclaimer: NOTHING IS MINE!! Not Digimon, not "Final Distance," not even the quote I used below the chapter statement. *bats off lawyers with a stick* Now, leave me alone!!!

Wooo… It's not even a day after I started writing the first chapter, and here I'm writing the second. *rolls eyes* Anyway… yes, this is the second chapter.

Standard background info applies. Like… they're 19, it's October of their … *thinks* Sophomore year of college – stuff like that.

Chapter 2

"Mouths filled with letters, spoken too soon and lost beneath my tongue." -Anonymous.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Oh no…" Yamato's eyes skimmed over the girl… she looked amazingly more and more like Sora each time he looked into her eyes. ~She's the only one that has that look… Then that does mean that…~ "Oh no…"

"Yama…" Tears now ran in small streams down her face, as Sora tried as best she could not to sob uncontrollably. Feeling that she could no longer choke them down, she buried her face in her hands, crying like a child.

"Sora, I…" He didn't know what to say. But how could he just sit there next to her, watching as she cried into her hands, silently pleading for someone to hold her… be her shoulder to cry on. "I'm… Sora…" Gently putting an arm around her, he pulled her slim figure to his, holding her in his arms, feeling her body shudder against his. 

Sora cried… Uncontrollable coughs… sobs… moans… tears… all flooded out of her as she lay cradled in his arms. She couldn't remember a time in her life where she had felt so much guilt, regret, pain… and yet, something else that was nagging at her in her mind. ~What have I done… Kamisama, what have I done? How could this have happened…? If only… No… wait, … I don't remember… Why don't I remember anything? Why have I woken up today feeling as if I've made the biggest mistake of my life? Why is my head pounding…?~

Yamato whispered to her calmly, soothingly; hushing her; telling her that it would be ok. Slowly, he felt her sobs grow into gentle cries, and then into nervous breaths. "Sora…"

"Do you remember anything from last night?" Sora kept her eyes closed, not even daring to open them, for fear that Yamato would bring her to eye level and see the look of shame crossing her eyes.

"Barely… The last thing I remember is… dancing. What about you?"

"I have… pieces of memories from last night. Like, I remember coming here, and then you dragging me to dance, and then… taking a drink, and then dancing again… and then… I remember… you kissing me." She sniffled. "And then… I faintly remember lying with you… on top… and…"

"…And?"

"And then… pain."

"Sora… I'm so sorry…" All of the things she described were barely a vision to Yamato. He only remembered dancing with just her, and then sitting her down in a chair. All the dancing… all the kissing… the holding… It all seemed so distant to him.

"Do you remember what happened?" Sora raised her head to him, wiping her tears away and remembering to keep the sheet covering herself.

"I… I…" He searched for words. They all seemed to scream at him, jumping for him to use them… but he couldn't. Caught in his throat, he tried… tried to remember something… anything. But he couldn't draw the line between reality and what he thought were dreams and visions of last night. "I don't remember…"

Sora winced in emotional pain, bowing her head again to shed more tears. She felt Yamato's arm tighten around her, reassuring her that everything would be ok in tacit motions. She let her own arm slip around him, spilling hot tears on to his exposed chest. He closed his eyes, again trying to keep her from crying more. ~God, why… why can't I remember anything? Why do I feel so… so empty? Why do I feel like I can't help her?~

"Yama…" she asked through a shroud of tears.

"Yes, Sora?"

"What are we going to tell everyone else?" She kept her eyes closed, her eyelashes thick with salty tears. Shaky breaths escaped her lips and hit the wet skin of Yamato's chest and arm where she had cried.

"I… I don't think we should worry about that just yet. For now, let's just think about getting out of here and back home, ok?"

She breathed an ok to him, and slowly felt his arm slip from around her. Keeping her eyes closed so he wouldn't feel anymore embarrassed than he already was, she stayed in the bed, trying to sort her thoughts. ~What am I going to tell Mama… Taichi? What if I am pregnant..?? What if last night really did happen? And how does Yamato feel?~ Hearing the door click shut, she opened her eyes, finding no one else in the room. With a heavy heart, she began to gather her clothes and put them on.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Sora emerged from the bedroom the same time Yamato did from the bathroom across the hall, both their heads down. He motioned for her to go ahead of him down the narrow hallway, and she obliged. Walking down the stairs, she wiped tear stains from her face, sniffling as well. Yamato handed her coat to her, putting on his own as well.

"Do you remember how to get home?"

"Yeah – I did drive myself here, remember?"

Laughing a bit, she confirmed. Buttoning up her coat, she heard Yamato open the door for her, and she walked outside to the cloudy October afternoon.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

"Wanna come up? I know it sounds a bit weird after what happened, but… For coffee, or something?"

They sat in Yamato's car, parked outside of her apartment building. The car was off, and neither of them looked at each other once the entire ride home, nor did they dare speak.

"Sure." He got up out of the car, not looking at her, and walked around to her side. She opened the door a crack, but he finished the motion for her. He held out his hand to her, which she accepted, stepping out into the cool fall breeze. Their heads down, Yamato pulled Sora to him, not realizing what he had done. She smiled inwardly, closing the door with her free hand. Sliding her hand out of his, she balled her fists and dug them into her coat pockets. She walked slowly to the elevator, her head still hung. They stepped into the elevator in silence, both feeling awkward about talking.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

"Cream and sugar?" Sora handed him a mug of the steaming-hot liquid, pouring herself a cup after she did so.

"Sure." Knowing her kitchen a bit too well, he ducked into the fridge for the carton of cream, and reached to the lazy-susan cabinet to retrieve the sugar. She handed him a spoon, telling him that she wanted to change. Sora walked out of the kitchen and into her room, changing into an old pair of grey sweat pants and an over-sized white sweatshirt. Emerging from the room, she padded back into the kitchen, seeing Yamato look around the place. He handed her a mug of coffee.

"I did it for you, so it wouldn't get cold or anything."

She accepted it with a half-hearted smile. "Thanks." Taking a cautious sip from her mug, she watched Yamato gulp down the last of his and place his mug in the sink. She placed the cup down on the counter, and turned to look at him.

"Will you call me later?"

She smiled again. "Of course."

He smiled back. He silently stepped to her, rubbing her cheek with the back of his fingers. She leaned her face into his warm hand, then felt her chin tiled up. She met his eyes for an instant, then his lips with hers in a soft kiss. It lasted barely three seconds, but to Sora, it felt like an eternity. As his lips parted from hers, he breathed out, "Sayonara."

She kept her eyes closed, standing in her exact position until she heard the door close firmly.

She broke down, crying hysterically.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

"Yamato?" The shaky voice called him over the other line. "It's Sora."

"Oh hey, Sora. How are you feeling?"

"I'm ok." She paused, awkwardly. "Can you come over? I need to talk to you."

"Sure, I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Ok. Bye." Sora hung up the phone, staring at it for a few seconds. It had been around two weeks after their incident at the party, and it was something that Sora was actively trying to ignore. If only she didn't have to take that little test…

She went into the bathroom, taking the front-most pieces of hair and pulling them back with a tiny grey metal butterfly clip, adorned with miniature rhinestone gems at the corners. She pulled the small wisps of bangs away to rest gently on her forehead, and turned off the bathroom light. She sat down in the living room, putting a pair of blue fuzzy ankle-sleep socks on her cold feet. She let a sigh escape her as she switched feet, and heard the doorbell ring. Not really noticing that it took less time for Yamato to get there this time, she went to answer the door.

Yamato stood at the door, holding a vibrant purple lily in his hand, the stem cut at around a foot. He heard the locks of the door unlock, and watched as Sora appeared from behind the portal, smiling weakly. He bowed a bit, presenting her with the flower. She smiled slightly, accepting it.

"Thanks. Come on in." Sora turned around walking into the living area of the small apartment and sitting on her white couch. She placed the flower down on the table, the blossom away from her. Yamato came into the room, sitting next to her, nearest the blossom.

"How are you?" Yamato sounded in generally and naturally good spirits, but he also sounded concerned.

"I'm ok." Sora tried to sound as calm and collected as she could, staring at her hands resting on her knees. She looked herself over. She could see the tears clouding her vision, making her grey fatigue pants, her black zip-up and the white tank top she wore all blend together in a mess of color. Everything seemed so black and white. Blinking them back, she continued. "I've got something important to tell you."

"…"

She looked up at him. "And I don't want you to run screaming from the apartment when I tell you, ok?"

Yamato laughed. "Why would I do that?"

"Because I…" She brought her legs to sit Indian-style on the couch, thinking it might soften the blow of news. Her hand smoothed over her stomach gently, then rested again in her lap.

"You're…"

"I'm …" ~Why can't I just tell him??~ She drew in a breath. "I'm pre…"

"You know… you can tell me whatever it is… and I promise I won't run screaming from here, ok?" His hand rubbed softly over hers, then holding it.

She stifled a laugh, then continued. "Yama… Yamato. I'm…" She closed her eyes, digging deep within herself for the courage to just say the words. A sigh escaped her lips as her eyes opened again. She looked him in the eye, determined to say what needed to be said, even if she had to stay there until she actually had the child. "I'm pregnant." ~There. I said it…~

"…" Yamato couldn't say anything. He didn't know what to say. He momentarily forgot how to speak, until words managed to come to his mind. ~She's speaking… Great – now I remember how to talk again…~

"Please, say something…!"

"Sora, I…" Without thinking, his free arm wrapped around her, hugging her to him. He heard her being to cry, silently, and he pulled away. "No, no, no – please don't cry!" His hand reached to brush the tears away, retracing their tracks up to her eye.

Sora closed her eye as he did so, feeling his thumb rub over her eyelashes. It tickled a bit. "I'm not crying because I'm sad or anything… I'm crying because I'm happy. Happy that I finally got it out and happy that you know, now."

"How do you feel?"

She thought for a minute. "Incapacitated?" She tried. No other word really came to her at that moment.

Yamato laughed. Seeing tears coming to her eyes again, he hugged her again, feeling her arms slip around his neck. "Oh, Sora…"

She breathed, letting the tears spill from her eyes to his dark green shirt, and licked her lips. "I don't know what I'm going to do," she whispered.

"Don't worry about that right now. Let's just…" He couldn't think. ~OK, maybe now is the time to worry about that…~ "OK, you win this time – let's worry about it."

She laughed through her tears. "Maybe we should tell people. I mean, they're going to find out eventually, right?"

"I guess so…"

"I have to tell my mother first, right?"

"Sounds logical – I'll tell my father, too."

Sora thought. ~Now, if I were… well, I am going to have a baby, but… who would I tell, after my mother?~ "Can you tell Taichi?"

"I think we both can." His hand clamped down reassuringly over hers, smiling as he did.

"Can you take me to my Mother's place?"

"Sure." He dragged her up with him, and they went to the foyer to get their shoes on. Sora stepped into a pair of black slides, which looked more for a shower than for a walk outside, and Yamato reached into the closet to get a black fleece jacket for her. He slipped it around her shoulders, walking out of the apartment with her.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Sora knocked on the cold white door. She smiled at the hanging dried flowers by the door frame; her Mother always liked to have a little piece of spring with her. "It's open!"

Carefully, Sora entered the warm foyer, taking her shoes and coat off. "Okaa-san!"

"Sora! Is it you?!" The woman emerged from the kitchen, holding a dishtowel.

"Okaa-san!" Sora hugged the woman to her, thankful to see her after so long. To Yamato, it was amazing how much alike they looked now that Sora was older. He didn't remember them looking that way when he was younger.

"How are you doing, honey?"

"I'm good, Mama." Sora turned with her mother to walk into the living room, and Sora motioned with her arm from behind her for Yamato to follow. He did so, close in tow, but still very quiet.

"What brings you here today?" She sat down on the highly-cushioned couch, bringing her daughter down with her. "Wait, how did you get here – you don't have a car!"

Sora felt Yamato take a seat behind her. "Yamato drove me."

"Ah, forgive me, Yamato! How have you been? It must have been quite a few years since last I saw you!"

"I've been good, Takenouchi-san. And you?"

"Ah, well, I think that age has finally begun to take me under its wing. But I guess you could consider me doing quite well these past few months."

"That's good to hear."

Her mother smiled back at him. She had always liked Yamato, despite the rumors she had heard flying around the apartment complex when he was a young teenager.

"Mama?"

"What's wrong, Sora? Don't tell me you're having trouble with school?"

"No, nothing like that, Mama!" ~Nothing wrong with school, *yet*…~

"Then why do you look so sad?"

"It's nothing really, Mama." Sora really thought about what she had said. ~Wait… telling her that I'm pregnant isn't really "nothing."~ "Actually, it's important."

"Important? How does 'nothing really' turn into something important?"

"Well…" Sora swallowed. "You remember a couple weeks ago, when I went to that party for Shin?"

"Not really… Didn't he used to work with your father, in Kyoto?"

"Yeah. Well, that was his birthday celebration."

"Oh, I see…"

"While we were there, we didn't know that there would be so many …" Sora trailed off, searching for words.

Yamato finished for her. "We didn't know that there would be so many people over age, and how over age they would be."

Although it was a tiny lie, she seemed satisfied enough. "And… what happened was…"

"Did you get drunk?"

Sora blinked; how would her mother react to finding out her daughter had gotten drunk under age?! "Yes, Mama."

"Well, I can't blame you entirely for that… But I guess you're going to have to be the adult the next time that happens, ok?"

Sora nodded her head, but she didn't look like she had explained herself entirely… yet.

"I can tell that that's not the only reason why you're here."

"No, it's not. We didn't know that the drinks were alcoholic at the time, and we were dancing a lot, so we had a little…"

The look she was getting from her mother told her to be absolutely honest about this.

"OK, we had quite a few things to drink that night."

"And?"

"And… I know you won't be happy at all with the next part, but…" She closed her eyes again, finding the same strength inside of her as when she told Yamato. Looking her mother square in the eyes, and not being afraid, she spoke again. "Mama, I'm pregnant."

The older woman studied her over. Sora looked on the verge of crying, yet again, like a child with a bad wound to the knee. Her mother thought for a minute, then managed an answer. "Well, I can't say that I'm entirely happy with this…" She watched as Sora looked down to their hands, still held in one another's hands. "… But I can't say that I'm entirely angry, either."

Sora's eyes widened with shock. Could she really believe what she was hearing? She raised her head to meet her mother's stern gaze. "Then, you mean…?"

"Sora, I don't mean that this is ok. Getting drunk at a party and then getting pregnant isn't anything that is entirely ok, but I know that everybody makes mistakes, and now that you've told me you didn't know that there was alcohol served until the next morning, I feel a bit more calm."

Sora opened her mouth to say something, but her mother wasn't finished.

"That doesn't mean you're free of blame, yet. I want you to accept the responsibilities that come along with this, ok?"

"Yes, Mama."

"But you know that if you ever need any help, I'll be here?"

"I know."

"Good." Her mother wrapped her in a gentle hug of reassurance and safety.

"Thanks, Mama."

"For what, dear?" She pulled her away, to find Sora crying subtle tears.

"For being so understanding."

"Oh, honey…" They hugged again, laughing as they did.

Sora felt Yamato's hand rubbing down her back, happy for her.

"So, mind telling me who the father is?"

"That would be me, Takenouchi-san. And I'm willing to take full responsibility for Sora and the baby, as soon as s/he is born."

"Good. Well, with all that settled, how about you two stay for dinner, huh?"

"Great!"

The three marched into the kitchen, ready to make a celebratory feast of the news.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

"So, Sora, have you told anyone else, yet?"

"No, Mama; not yet, anyway."

"Good. I didn't think you'd tell anybody else, besides the father, before you told me."

"I still have my priorities, Mama; don't worry!"

"Well, who's your next victim, then?"

Sora, stirring a bowl of brownie mix, looked to Yamato, cutting up a bunch of potatoes and beef. "We were thinking about telling Taichi next, I mean, after we tell my parents, as well."

"Excellent, Yamato!"

Hearing her mother's outburst, and seeing Yamato's face in response, Sora could only stifle a laugh as she turned back to the stove, placing the bowl down to grease a baking dish.

"Oh, Sora!!"

"What is it, Mama?" She turned around, concerned for what could be plaguing her mother this time.

"I left my laundry in the laundry room! I hope somebody didn't take it… I'll have to go down and get it!"

"No, Mama, you stay here; I'll go get it for you!"

She untied the apron from around her waist, and placed the garment on the kitchen counter. She spoke as she fixed some slippers on her feet and a jacket around her shoulders. "No, Sora – I'll get it. I can't have you running errands for me while you don't live here anymore. I'll get it. You two just stay here and continue cooking without me, ok? I'll be back in a few minutes!" And with that, she was gone.

Sora sighed, turning back into the kitchen. "Ok, Okaa-san…" She continued pouring the batter into the pan, spreading it with a spatula and making sure it was evenly distributed. Dumping the spatula in the mixing bowl by the oven, she pulled the door open, and shoved the pan in, closing the door to keep the heat from escaping. She didn't hear Yamato chopping away anymore, figuring he'd dumped the food into the large soup basin for cooking. She ran the water, preparing to wash the dishes she'd used, when she didn't find the spatula in the bowl.

She found it in Yamato's hand; half the batter had been eaten off of it.

"Don't eat that!" She promptly grabbed it out of his hand, getting a weird look from him.

"Why not?!"

"Because it's a raw egg!"

"So?"

"'So?!'"

"So?"

"So, it's a raw egg! You could be infected with some disease!"

"Sora, I hardly think that the eggs your mother has in her refrigerator would carry some life-threatening disease."

"I know but-"

"And I *know* that you would have probably done the same, so don't even try yelling at me about it!"

Sora turned away in defeat.

"Can I have my spatula back now?"

She turned around to shove it towards him, and he took it from her, satisfied with himself.

"Still want some?"

"Yes!" Sora crossed her arms, hoping he wouldn't try anything funny.

"Open your mouth…"

"No! Just give it to me and I'll eat it, thank you very much! I'm a big girl now…!"

"If I give it to you, then you won't give it back! Now, open up!" He slowly trailed it to her lips, similar to the airplane trick that most parents use on their stubborn children.

Sora opened her mouth slightly, and felt Yamato literally paint her bottom lip with the tool. She licked what she could off the spatula, and off her lips, but she apparently didn't get it all…

"You missed a spot." He pointed to where a little bit of brown mix stuck to her lip.

"Where-"

He cupped her cheek in his hand, tilting her head towards his. "Right… here…" Slowly, his tongue flicked out across her lips, lapping up the tiny spot of sweet batter. He planted soft kisses along her bottom lip, tossing the spoon into the skin under closed eyes. Thankfully, he made it.

Sora couldn't understand it. Why did he always have to kiss her? Not that she was complaining or anything, but… ~Wait, not that I'm complaining? What am I thinking?! How could he ever see anything in me? How could he… How could he just keep kissing me like this?~ She pressed her lips to his, hoping that he just wasn't kidding about this. Feeling him respond with just as much intensity, she kissed him again… and again… hoping that he wouldn't just wave it off later. Her hand slid up around his neck as her other held the arm that was holding her neck, now, gently. His other arm was wrapped around her waist, pressing their figures together. His hand resting at her neck reached around to undo her hair, letting the tresses fall back from their security of the clasp. He tossed the clip onto the counter, running his hands through her soft tresses, smoothing them out. As his fingers raked through her hair, the locks were coming undone on the door, and when it was shoved open, the jumped apart.

Sora cleared her throat, ducking her head and finger-combing her hair. She turned to help her mother, leaving Yamato in the kitchen to set the timer for the baking confectionery.

She carried basket upon basket of warm and fresh-smelling clothing, and placed them down on her mother's bed for her. "I'll just be a minute putting these away hon – you can finish making dinner, right?"

"Sure, Mama." She turned to leave, smoothing out her clothes as she did. Walking back into the kitchen, she felt like her face was a bright pink blossom, like a beacon in a bouquet of baby's breath. She ran her hands through her hair again, fixing to put it back. She noticed that she didn't have the small barrette anymore. "Yama, where's my hair clip?"

Yamato was sitting on the counter, sipping away at a glass of mugicha.

(A/N: mugicha is a type of tea in Japan. It's not sweetened, and it's *very* good!!)

He hopped down, placing the glass on the counter. "What did you say? You'll have to speak up this time – I just *couldn't* hear you!"

"Where's my clip? You threw it on the counter, didn't you?" She walked to him, her arms crossed over her chest.

"You just answered your own question, Sora." He then mouthed, look for it, as he exited the room, carrying the glass. She managed the find the small barrette hidden behind a few spice jars.

~Thank God he didn't break one throwing it over here. Why does he always have to do that? I mean… I'm not saying that I don't like it when he kisses me… which has been all of about three or four times that I can remember, but… Still – it's just so… intoxicating…~ Sora surprised herself with her thoughts. ~Whoa, there! I never thought I'd be using that word to describe a guy before…~ She couldn't help but laugh; it sounded silly of her to think like this.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

"Thank you so much, Okaa-san." Sora hugged her mother tightly, genuinely happy that she was as understanding as she was in this situation.

"Oh, anything for my little girl. You just take care of yourself now, ok?"

"I will, Mama." She pulled away to kiss her mother on the cheek, smiling warmly at her.

"And you, Yamato! Come here!" The older woman hugged him as well, with just as much love in her heart for him now. "Normally, I wouldn't be so happy if my daughter came home and told me that she got drunk at some party, and then told me she was pregnant. But thankfully, it's with a responsible person like you that she'll be having the child with." She pulled away, patting him on the shoulder.

Sora's cheeks gained a pink hue, as she rolled her eyes. "Mama…!"

"Oh, hush, Sora! I'm still your mother, whether you like it or not!"

Sora laughed. "I'll see you later, ok?"

"OK. You take care now, all right?"

"I will. Oyasumi nasai, Okaa-san!"

Sora walked out the door, Yamato behind her, closing it firmly. "Well, let's just hope that my mother and father take it as well as your Mom did."

"Well, let me tell you; Mama really just wasn't herself tonight… I was expecting her to totally flip out on me when I told her."

"Well, she didn't, and she seems naturally ok with it. So I wouldn't get so worried about it, ok?"

"I guess." Sora pushed the button for the elevator. "Wanna tell your parents tomorrow?"

Yamato ran a hand through his hair. "I dunno… I have to see if they're both working or not tomorrow."

"Oh, I see…" She looked down, sighing as she answered.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He sounded offended, but also sounded like he was joking.

She turned to him, shocked. "What – I didn't mean it-!"

"Uh-huh, yeah, sure!" Yamato nodded sarcastically to her as they stepped into the elevator, both facing the doors.

"What?! I didn't mean it that way and you know it!"

"Yeah, sure, whatever!" He sounded now like he didn't care, and she gave up, defeated.

"I hate you," she said under her breath, turning her head away. She exhaled greatly, leaning her head back up against the wall.

"Sora?"

"Hm?"

"Do you really want to go through with all of this?"

She knew he was being serious now. "I don't know. I mean, I don't want to feel like I *have* to now, but… I want to, and yet I don't. Like, I'm scared how it's going to affect us. In school… in our friends… in our families… in our personal lives… Just us in general…"

"Hm…"

"I don't mean it in a bad way or anything… Oh, I don't know what I mean… I'm just so confused, that's all."

"I'm sorry…"

"For what? What did you do?"

"For … well, for..." Yamato pointed to her stomach, a bit unsure of what to say.

She laughed a bit when she realized what he meant. "Oh, you shouldn't feel bad about that. I don't…"

"You don't?"

"No, not at all. Well, I kind of do, but I feel better about it more than I do bad. I guess I'm happy that we… had sex."

"You are?"

"Well, yeah. I mean… it brought us closer together, didn't it?" She blushed; her head cast down. ~Oh no… I knew I shouldn't have said that…~

His hand slid into hers, holding it tenderly. "I guess it did, now…"

She looked up to meet his eyes, which seemed to say that he cared about her, deep down in his heart.

The elevator ringed, signaling that they had reached their destination. Yamato walked out, dragging her along in the chilly night air. She caught up to him, wrapping her arms around his and cradling her head by his arm.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

"Thank you!" She accepted his hand when he offered it again as she stepped out of the car. She stood up next to him, feeling much better now that her mother had accepted the news. He closed the door again for her, ever the perfect gentleman. Her hands dug deep into her pockets, finding no solace from the late October winds. "I guess this is 'good night,' then."

He nodded. "I'll call you tomorrow."

"Mm!" She visibly brightened at this, casting her eyes down when she finished her remark. ~What to do now… what do I do now? Should I kiss him? Oh well – he probably won't care anyway…~ Reaching her hand up to touch the warm cloth draped over his shoulder, she closed her eyes as their lips gently brushed in a kiss. "Good night," she whispered, then turned to walk up to the building.

She smiled the entire way.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

EEE – SQUEENESS!!! I can't believe I finished all that in one day!!! *claps* But I know it's horrible… *waves hand* Ah well!!! Anyhoo – please review, mina!!! I reeeeeally want to know what all of you think out there…

ESPECIALLY you over there, sitting behind that computer screen, thinking that I won't catch you if you don't review!! YES, I'M TALKING TO YOU!!! *chibi jabs finger in your face*

Ehehehehehe… Anyhoo – see you guys later!!!!


	3. Newborn Sunset

Final Distance

Final Distance

Disclaimer: Sukoshimo ga arimasen!!!! *chibi translates – she hopes that that was the right Japanese for it…* I don't own anything!!!

Hoo – okies, I'm really gonna try with this part… I mean, I know I've been trying before, but… I'm gonna try and make this part all that it can be. And more!!!

Hope you guys like it ^_^.

Chapter 3

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Sora…"

"Nani?" Sora mumbled through closed eyes and the bleakness of sleep.

"Okinasai…," the voice whispered.

"Iya, mou… I don't want to."

"But you have to!"

"Doshite?"

"Because we're going to tell everyone else today."

"What do you mean?"

"Come on, Sora; please wake up…?"

Sora felt a hand slowly stroke her cheek, its warmth radiating to her. "Mmm…," she sighed.

"Wake up…!"

Seeing as how the voice wasn't going to leave her alone, she finally gave in. Reaching a hand up to rub the sleep out of her eyes, she yawned a grateful yawn, pulling the blanket tighter to her. She blinked her eyes around the room, mid-morning sunshine pouring in from the window behind her and spilling itself on the wall. Was the hand on her cheek just an illusion… just a dream? She decided to find out for herself. Sora glanced in the direction the hand was coming from, to find a blur of blonde hair and a dark jacket sitting on her bed. "Mind telling me who you are before I throw you out my window?"

"You must have really just woken up!"

"What are you talking about?"

The blur leaned to her, and shades of blue mixed in with this mass of hair as yellow and golden as the sun. "Because you still haven't figured out who I am…" He spoke softly, but raised his voice from a whisper to a regular talking tone.

~It's…!!!~ "Yamato?"

"The one and only…"

Sora nearly jumped out of her bed. ~How did he get in here?!~ Before she did however, she evaluated the situation; if she jumped out of bed, she would have jumped into his lap, which seemed a little uninvited at this point.

(A/N: Ho, hold on a second; why did I just write that? Her jumping into his lap is uninvited? How would somebody else like to wake up to some mysterious bishie in the morning?! *chibi and Lime-chan raise their hands high, defiantly*)

"What are you doing here," she whined.

"Waking you up – what else?"

She grunted, snuggling back into the bed, pulling the covers tighter around her. "Well, I'm not going to wake up, so you'd be wasting your time…"

"Oh, you'll wake up… Even if I have to drag you out of there, myself!"

"Oh, sure…!!" She closed her eyes again, figuring he'd go away if she did. Sora heard the rustle of what sounded like plastic wrappings, and then the bed shook a bit. She regretted not covering her head for a few minutes, afraid of what torture Yamato would put her through this time.

She soon, however, felt better about leaving the covers down. It felt like tissues caressed her cheek, though… these tissues soon turned out to be as soft as flower petals. Sora shifted her head around the pillow to follow this thing around, wherever it was going. It soon drifted from her cheeks to her nose, stopping so she would be able to take in the sweet scent. ~I can't place it… What is this??~ As she looked satisfied enough with the fragrance of the flower, it soon glided over her other cheek, and all around her forehead. It brought itself down the side of her cheek, the followed her jaw bone to her chin, and then up the other side. She felt it brush back under her eye over her cheekbone, and then down her nose to her lips. As she smiled, it disappeared.

"Wake up," he whispered.

Sora opened her eyes slowly to gaze at him, fully awake now. "Why'd you do that?"

Yamato presented her with the flower, a sugar pink lily. "To wake you up." He twisted himself around towards the other side of the bed to get something. "Close your eyes."

"You just woke me up and you want me to close my eyes again?"

"Please?"

Sora did as she was told, pushing the covers down a bit, and sitting up. She felt him take her hand gently, and then placed something circular and crunchy in her hand.

"Open them."

Raising her eyelids one more time, she found a bouquet of more lilies sprinkled with baby's breath in a plastic wrapping. After studying it over, she looked to Yamato, questioning him with her eyes. "Why did you do this?"

"Because I wanted to congratulate you. You did good yesterday telling your mother that we're going to have a baby."

Sora blushed. She was embarrassed, not only because he had given her flowers, but because he had said, "we're." Wrapping him in a tight hug, she slipped her eyes closed, savoring the moment. "Thank you."

She felt his arms come around her as well, taking care not to crush the flowers. "Don't even say it."

She pulled away from him, smiling, and placed the flower back in the bouquet. "Now get out of my room so I can take a shower and get dressed." She slapped him on the shoulder, getting off the mattress behind him.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

"Are you almost done yet?!" Yamato had been waiting upwards of an hour and a half for her to get dressed and take a shower.

"Stop yelling! I'll be out in a minute!" Sora couldn't understand it. He had come to *her* apartment that day, and then he wasn't even willing to wait for her to get ready?! ~The bulk of this time was just drying my hair…!~ Pulling a pair of fluffy socks on her cold feet, she walked to the door, turning the knob. She found him looking around her apartment, perusing the pictures and little ornamentals that adorned the rooms. "Now, I'm done…"

Yamato turned. Never had he seen her so beautiful in his life. She wore a floor-length print skirt that encompassed probably all hues and shades of blue, bits of white sprinkled in. A white long-sleeved t-shirt hugged her figure, while her hair cascaded around her face, stopping at her shoulders. No longer had she pushed it behind her ears, now letting it frame her precious face and smooth around her soft cheeks. The little wisps of bangs she pulled forward still protruded from her forehead, but made the look complete. A light pink blush rested on her cheeks, seemingly shimmering in the daylight.

"Well?"

"You're…"

"Done getting ready? Yes, I know that…" She stepped into the kitchen lightly, reaching into the refrigerator for a flask of orange juice. She pulled out a small glass from the cabinets above her head, pouring the drink into the cup and sipping it.

"But, … no, that's not what I meant."

She leaned against the counter, an arm resting against her natural waist and her fist supporting her elbow. "What'd you mean, then?"

Yamato smiled. ~Why am I being so ridiculous? It's Sora…~ "I just meant that you look wonderful." He walked over to her, taking the glass and taking a sip from it. He placed it back her hand as if he had done this every day.

"It's a good thing you said that because I would have gotten mad at you for drinking my juice."

With a kiss to her forehead, he stepped away from her, getting his shoes on. "Hurry up – we're having lunch with my parents!"

"We are?!" She finished the juice, placing the cup in the sink and rinsing it out. ~How did he get them both … free, together, on the same day? Weren't they always so busy?~

"Yes, we are – come on! Don't tell me you don't want to tell them…"

Sora walked to him, standing in the tile floor where her shoes rested. "No, I'll go. Just let me brush my teeth, ok?" She ran into the bathroom, grabbing her toothbrush and toothpaste for a quick, yet thorough, clean.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

She sighed, falling back to the cream-colored couch in Yamato's apartment. "I'm so tired!!!"

Yamato sat down on the chair adjacent to her, sighing as well. "Me too…"

"I didn't think they would take it like they did…"

"Neither did I. I expected my father to go ballistic, and then tell me that he would disown me."

She laughed. "Well, now that we're done with our parents, … I guess we have to tell everyone else."

"Not just yet." He got up, grabbing the remote control to the TV and sitting down next to her. "Let's take a rest, first."

"Good idea!" She curled her feet around herself, and leaned into his arm, which he then wrapped around her, resting his hand on her side. Her hands came around his stomach, clasping together so they would stay.

Yamato flipped the tv on, searching through channels until he came to a movie they both could watch.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

He awoke some hours later, a warm body snuggled close next to his. Looking down, he found her auburn hair faintly highlighted by the light of the newborn sunset, soft rays of sunlight playing on her face. "Sora…" He stroked her arm gently, hoping to warm her up in the dim apartment. ~Second time today…~ "Wake up, sweetie…"

"Hm…"

"Come on, Sora… I don't have flowers for you this time."

"Let me sleep – I'm tired."

Yamato sighed, checking his watch. ~Six thirty?! Did we really sleep that long? I guess… we got back around two… Man, four hours…~ "Come on, sleepy head – we have to wake up."

"You have to wake up, I don't," she mumbled.

"Don't you want to tell everyone else our special news?"

"You can…"

"But it won't be as special and surprising if you're not there…"

Blinking her eyes, Sora became awake again, yet still tired. "OK, I'm up…"

"Good – let's make dinner."

"You're too enthusiastic for just having woken up." She followed him into his kitchen, leaning against the door way as he searched for food to make. He pulled out a few things to make miso soup with, and searched around for something else. 

~Damn, can't find it…~ "Sora, can you stay here while I run to the store? I'll be right back…!"

She rolled her eyes. "Fine, if I must…!" ~Whoa, where else would I go? With him??~

"Great, can you start making a big pot of miso soup?"

"Before you go, exactly how many people are coming here tonight?"

Yamato thought. "Well, just about… all of we old Digi-Destined." He smiled. "Call them for me, please?" He walked up to her, hugging her to him.

"ohay eye fill…"

"What?"

"I said, 'okay, I will.'"

"Good." Quickly, he planted a kiss on her lips, leaving her a bit surprised. "I'll be back in no time!"

^^^^^^^^^^^^

"You said you'd be back in no time."

"So I lied a little…"

"What'd you get?"

"Fish."

"Fish?"

He nodded.

"You left me here to go get some fish?"

"What else were we going to eat?"

Sora huffed. Turning back to the food she was busy cooking, she began to speak again. "Everyone can come, except for Iori and Miyako. They said they had to work."

"That's good…"

"What, that they can't come?"

"No, that everyone else can."

She laughed. "Oh yeah – I got an appointment to see my doctor in two days. Would you mind taking me there?"

He looked at her. "What, am I your chauffeur now?"

"Well, I know you wouldn't want me walking around this big city with nobody to help me if I fell or something like that… So from now on, yes!"

"Ok, if I absolutely *must* go with you…" He rolled his eyes in mock-exasperation.

Sora turned to hug his arm. "Thank you!" As she pulled away, she looked serious again, slapping his arm. "Now hurry up and get cooking – they'll be here soon!"

^^^^^^^^^^^^

"So, Sora – what'd you call us all up here for anyway?" Daisuke wondered from his position on the floor, planted right next to Hikari, who sat next to Takeru. Ken sat on the couch with Koushirou and Jyou, leaving Taichi, Sora, and Yamato to the remaining piece of furniture.

"Yeah, what's the big idea…??" Taichi sounded a little rough and tough, but she brushed it off.

"Actually, I have a bit of a surprise for all of you." She paused, leaving seven pairs of eyes desperately waiting for her to finish. "Before I tell you all, though, you have to promise not to overreact."

Rounds of "I promise," and "I'll kill him if he does," echoed through the room shortly. The fact that Yamato didn't seem as impatient as everyone else left Ken a little flustered.

"Before you continue, Takenouchi-san, can I ask why Yamato doesn't seem so excited?"

"He/I already know/s," they both stated in unison, causing them to blush slightly.

"Now that we've promised, what's the big news?" Takeru scooted closer to the coffee table, thinking that if he did, he'd get the answer out of her.

"Well," she sighed. "I'm pregnant."

"What?"

"You're joking?"

"You can't be serious!"

"You mean you're going to have a baby?"

"OH MY GOD!!!" Hikari jumped from her seat, giggling and grabbing Sora up into a hug. "Sora!!! Why didn't you tell us sooner?!"

"I just didn't find out until a few days ago." Sora pulled away from her, smiling happily at the young girl.

"Oh, this is such big news!!! I can't believe it! Now I want one!"

The older girl laughed. "No you don't; it's… such…" She then remembered a few memories of things that had happened since she found out, and since the conceiving. ~It's actually been good so far…~ "OK, well… maybe you do!"

Hikari hugged her again, giggling as well.

"Sora, forgive me for asking…"

"What's up, Koushirou?" She pulled away, taking her previous seat in between Yamato and Taichi.

"Can I ask who the father is?"

Sora cast her gaze downward, then decided to let her eyes do the talking. She glanced at Yamato.

Yamato smiled. Running a hand through his hair, he spoke. "I guess we can't hide it anymore…"

"OH MY GOD!!!"

"Whoa… I'm gonna be an uncle…"

"But I don't get it?"

"That's fabulous!"

"Prodigious!"

Sora laughed at the responses everyone gave. Seeing as how they shifted their attentions to Yamato and congratulating him as well, she turned around, speaking to Taichi. "Well…?" Her eyes seemed to ask him what he thought of the situation, and he didn't move.

"You're probably-"

"Extremely happy for you, Sora…" He wrapped her in a warm embrace, and she responded by hugging him back.

"Thank you so much, Taichi," she whispered.

She felt arms come around her from behind, laughing in her ear gently. "Aw, big group hug…" Yamato squeezed her with all his might, eliciting a giggle from her.

Everybody else piled themselves on top of the three, hugging them in extreme happiness and congratulations.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

"Good night, you guys!" Sora bid Takeru, Ken, Hikari, and Koushirou farewell, closing the door behind them, keeping the chilly winds out of the warm apartment. She heard Yamato, Taichi, and Jyou talking in the other room, and she went back to join them.

They looked pretty seriously at her when she entered the room. "What?"

"I'm sorry, Sora."

"For what, Jyou?"

"The drinks at that party did have alcohol in them."

She waved it off. "Don't worry about it. I'm not entirely disappointed with it, so… There's no reason for you to feel sorry!" She smiled.

"I know, I just feel bad. I yelled at my brother when he told me, even though he had no idea what was going on either."

She let a small laugh escape her lips as he walked towards her, wrapping her in a friendly hug. "Congratulations again."

"Aw, thanks…"

He pulled away, looking from Yamato back to her. "And the best of luck to you both."

Sora turned to walk him out, grabbing his arm. "Call me in a few weeks, ne?"

"Of course! Call me if you have any slight health problems, ok? I think it'd be helpful with becoming a doctor."

"Don't worry, I will…"

A couple seconds later, the door clicked shut, and Sora returned to the room. She shrugged, grinning. Taichi rushed to her, holding her in a tight hug again. "Aw, our little girl's all grown up, now!"

Sora laughed, her arms coming around him again. "Not entirely, I don't think." Pulling away, she prepared to ask him something that had been floating around in her mind the entire day. "Listen, Taichi, you've been my best friend for … forever, and I know that it's the same with Yama…"

"Yama? Is that your new nickname for him?"

She smiled. "Anyway, I was wondering, that since you've played such a big role in my life so far, would you… like to be this baby's… second father?"

"Second father?! Hang on a second Sora – we didn't even talk about this!" Yamato came to her, holding her arm.

"We didn't need to talk about this. Besides, I'm sure you'd probably feel the same way."

He sighed in mock-defeat. "What do you say, Taichi?"

The tall brunette eyed them warily. "I dunno…," he stated, sarcastically.

"Please?!" Sora begged, holding his hand.

"Yeah…" He gave the couple a giant bear hug, happy with the proposal. "Call me later, ok?" 

Taichi squeezed her arm, to which she nodded.

"And you…" He gave Yamato a friendly punch in the shoulder. "Take care of her, ok? If you don't, I'll have to come and teach ya how…"

Yamato lead him towards the door. "You eat all my food, you don't even tell *me* congratulations, and then you start making threats…"

"What are friends for, right?"

"See you later, Taichi!" And with that, the door was closed. Yamato leaned his back against it, letting a small yawn slip from his lips.

Sora's head was cast down to the floor, eyes closed, as she straightened her hair out with her hands, the fingers running through the bronze strands graciously. Tossing her hair, she opened her eyes to find Yamato watching her. She smiled lightly, walking to him, and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"What's this for?" His eyes bore into hers, wondering what she was doing.

"Just a little 'thank you.'"

"For doing what?"

"For having everybody at your apartment instead of mine. You saved me having to clean up a mess."

He kissed her forehead, pulling out of the hug. "Don't mention it," he smacked her bottom lightly.

She jumped at the action, staring after him as he went into the other room to clean up. She pulled up her skirt a bit, thanking whoever designed it that they slit the sides up about a foot. Her arms once again slid around his neck, but from behind this time, and she jumped onto his back. His arms quickly came around her legs, supporting her. She rested her head on the back of his neck, enjoying the feel.

"Mmm… carry me home tonight…"

"I'll do no such thing… and you won't even get home if you don't get off of me and help me clean up this mess in here."

Whining, she slid off his back, pushing the skirt back down. She gathered up a few glasses, then trudged into the kitchen, placing them into the sink and washing them.

^*^*^

She jumped onto his back again. "Now, will you carry me home?"

"Get your shoes on."

"Why?"

"I'm driving you home." He put her down on the kitchen counter, walking away from her to slip into his shoes. 

"Hmph…" She hopped down, obeying his order, and getting her jacket as well.

Sarcastically, he began speaking. "Now, as much as you know that I'd love to carry you home, I can't – I have work tomorrow, and I don't want to get my back all sore."

"Yeah, right…" Sora rolled her eyes.

As they walked out into the hall, she remembered something she wished to discuss with him. "Oh, Yamato. I need to talk to you about something."

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Well, we need to decide who's going to move in with who."

Yamato was puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Well you know that I can't stay in that apartment all by myself for the next nine months while you live twenty minutes away!"

Yamato smirked. "Oh, I know what you're trying to do…"

She stared at him, skeptically as they waited for the elevator. "Then what am I trying to do?"

"You're trying to get me to come to your apartment just because you love me."

"What?!-"

"Don't try and hide it, Sora. I'm perfectly ok with coming to live with you." The doors opened, and they stepped in.

Sora rolled her eyes in defeat. "So when will you be coming to stay with me?"

"I don't know. A few days, I guess." He ran a hand through his hair.

"Good, with all that settled, I can tidy up my apartment."

They walked out to his car, Sora wrapping an arm around herself. 

"What do you have to tidy up in there? Your apartment is spotless every time I see it! Which is practically every day, now."

"I guess I'll have to dust and stuff. Clean out some old junk that's been collecting in there." She jumped, waiting by the car as he strolled around to the driver's side.

"Cold?"

"Open your car, and turn the heat on, hurry!!"

"What's the magic word?"

"Onegai??"

"No…"

She jogged over to his side. Her fists on his chest, she put on her best pleading face. "Onegai???"

"No…"

"I'm going to bite your hand off if you don't tell me how I'm going to get into your car!!"

"Well if you do that then we'll never get into the car."

Seeing no other solution than the one that would have made him wait hand and foot for her, she tried it. Tilting her head up, she placed a warm, gentle kiss on his lips; it was something Yamato wasn't expecting. He turned her around to lean her up against the car , his hand resting at her hip and elbow as hers held on loosely to his neck. She felt his tongue lightly cascade against her lips, and she responded by brushing hers against his cool lips. He pressed his mouth against hers a bit firmer, pushing her lips apart and letting his tongue slide gently against hers. Kissing him softly, she smiled to herself, happy that she had just about gotten him in her trap. Their lips parted with a soft, wet smacking sound, and she grinned slyly at him. "Onegai…?" She whispered coyly.

He pushed her away gently. "Get in the car, you little vixen…"

^^^^^^^^^^^^

~Damn, that's the third time today I've seen her asleep…~ Yamato carried Sora gently up the elevator and down her apartment hall, pausing to get her key out of the mailbox to open her door. He didn't know how he got the key into the lock, but somehow it slipped in, and he turned it. Trying to be as silent as he could, he walked through her bedroom door, gently placing her down in her bed. He slipped her shoes off, pulling a blanket over her.

"Sora…"

"Hm?"

"Oyasumi."

"Night," she sighed.

He smoothed a hand over her cheek, watching her as she smiled in her sleep, her face leaning into the warmth. 

"Good night, Yama," she whispered.

"Good night, Angel." He kissed her forehead lightly, walking out of the apartment.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Wah – done with this part as well… in one day!!!

*cries* SCHOOL STARTS THIS WEEK!!! NOOOO!!!

I hate school. Mleh. I gotta go. I have to get myself on a bed schedule, so I don't like… get all weird about sleeping. Itekimasu!!! Ja, ne!!!


	4. Sincere Tone of Voice

Final Distance

Disclaimer: Look at me – honestly, if you thought I owned Digimon or any Hikki song that is used in this here fanfic… then you're a complete dumbass, cause I don't own anything.

Wow, 'tis been a while, ne?

Yamato: Mm-hm…

Stupid school…  I hate school.

Yamato: Mm-hm…

But Yama loves me, doesn't he?  *looks sweetly at Yama*

Yamato: Mm-…  *looks at chicha* 

*gives Yama a death glare*

Yamato: ^^' - … *nods profusely*

That's a good boy…  Now, on with the story ^_^.

Chapter 4

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

She rolled around in her bed, a slight aching coming to her stomach.  _What is it…?  Why won't it go away?  Why do I feel so … sick…_  Groaning, she rolled over again, wincing at the pain that grew.  _No…  Why won't it go away?_  Seeing as how the pain didn't want to go away, her eyes slowly opened, focusing around the light of the room.  She glanced at her clock on the night table, watching the bright red of 10:52 stare her down.

And then the pain grew.  Quick as she could, her feet carried her into the bathroom – she knew it would happen.

~*~*~

Gargling for about the third time, Sora never thought that that taste would leave her mouth.  _Yuck…  I hate this … that's the third time in … what, six days?_  She knew that morning sickness would have to be something to cope with, but she didn't know how much more if it she could take.  Sighing, she placed the glass back down onto the bathroom counter and walked into her room, looking for something to wear.  One month had passed.  _One month… only one month…_  Hands rummaged around in her closet, finding a beige turtleneck sweater and some jeans.  She lay them on her bed for later, after she had taken the shower.  Going back into the bathroom, she brushed her hair and washed her face, sighing as the soft towel absorbed all that was left of the water on her face.  Grabbing a lime green robe from the back of the door, she walked out into the living room.

_He cleaned…_  She glanced at everything, rearranged, around the room, and noticed something.  _Now it looks like his apartment…_  An annoyed and angry expression molded her face into that of a drunken witch, and she groaned as she walked into the kitchen.  Her now-awake gaze found him fixing breakfast, still in his pajamas as well.

"You cleaned."  Sora sounded angry.

Yamato glanced up from his work in the frying pan to find her standing there, and made a face.  "Don't make such an ugly face, Sora – it'll stay that way!"

"You never clean."

"It's a once-in-a-while thing."

"…" She didn't seem convinced.

"Oh, honestly, Sora – calm down!"  
  


"Why?  I wake up to find my entire living room rearranged to look like _your_ apartment, and you want me to calm down?"

"Yes!"

"Why?"

"Because you should be happy – it's not everyday that a man rearranges his best friend's living room."

Her slipper-covered feet took her to the refrigerator, grabbing a carafe of orange juice, and placing it on the counter.  She spoke to him while grabbing a tumbler from a cabinet, not looking at him.  "If you were going to arrange your best friend's living room, you should have asked Taichi.  And I meant why did you rearrange my living room."

"Did you apply for online courses, yet?"

She turned around.  "Don't try and change the subject.  And yes, I did."

Yamato sighed, putting down the spatula and letting the eggs simmer.  "I did it because I thought I'd stay here a while.  I don't want the baby to grow up without a father or anything, and I wasn't sure if you could handle bringing up a child in the world alone, especially when you know that there are people around that are willing to help you."

"Oh, so you thought I can't do it, is that it?"  _He's so sweet… but it's just so much fun to tease him…_

He panicked a little.  Handling an interrogation was one thing… but incurring the wrath of Sora was something else.  "Um… I…"

She couldn't help but laugh.  "I'm only kidding!  Don't worry about it!"  She brought the glass to her lips to take a long sip…

But stopped when he took it away from her in mid-sip.

"What was that for?!"

"For playing with my affections!  Just for that … no eggs for you this morning!"  Yamato turned back to his work, bringing the flame to a higher heat and turning the beaten eggs.

She knew he was joking.  Walking up behind him, her hands came to his neck to massage lightly, enticing him to give in.  "I know you wanna give me some…," she whispered.

"Nope, all for me!!"

"Come on!  I *know* you made enough for me and you, and I know you won't eat it all by yourself…"

He slammed the spatula down on the counter with mock-exasperation, simmering the flame again.  His well-built body whipped around quickly, his hands grabbing hers away from him.  "And *how* would you know something like that?"  Yamato backed her up against the opposite counter, placing her hands behind her at the small of her back.

"Because I know you wouldn't not feed me."  She sounded like a child, sweet and innocent, speaking softly; their faces inches apart.

"You know something…?"

"What?"  She cocked her head to the side in question.

His fingers danced on the ticklish spots of the side of her body, along her back, as well; her laughter filled the room along with protests.  "You're right, I wouldn't not feed you."

"Stop!"

"You know something else…?"  He caught her hands, her laughter slowly dying out as his gaze caught her as well.

"What's that?"  Her breaths came heavy, not expecting him to tickle her so suddenly.

"I…"  _Why is this so hard to do?_

"You…'re going to tickle me again?  Please don't, I-"

"No, no … I love you…"

~*~*~

Her eyes widened a bit in shock.  _Did he just say … what I think he said?_  "You do?"

"Well, yeah."  Yamato's voice sounded a bit surprised.  "I mean… living with you for a month… how could I not?  For a month… with you…!"

Her eyes searched the room for an answer…  What was she to do?

"What's wrong?"  He tiled her cheek to meet her gaze; she looked like a deer in headlights.

"I… I just didn't expect it, that's all."  

A few moments of silence passed between them, until Yamato brought his hand up to softly caress her cheek.  "Do you … love me…?"

_How could I not…  He's been the perfect gentleman these past few weeks… he's been so sweet.  Ever since that night… he's changed – everything that I've ever wanted has been him…  And we spend so much time together…  I do… I really love him…_  "Yeah…  I do love you…"

He smiled.  "Good, I think it'd be a bit awkward if you didn't…"  His hand stroked her cheek again till his lips touched hers.  Slowly, sweetly, gently, they kissed for the first time, knowing that they loved one another.  

_Yeah.. I do…  I do love him…_  She smiled at the thought, bringing her arms around his shoulders.  Somehow, kissing someone when you knew that you were in love with them and that the feeling was being reciprocated felt so much better than just kissing them without knowing.  Sure, Sora had boyfriends in the past, some of whom she thought she did love… but when they kissed before, it wasn't anything like this.  Blood rushed to her cheeks as her arms wrapped tighter around his shoulders, feeling his hands slip underneath the robe around her waist.  His lips pushed harder onto hers, his arms snaking their way up her back; she felt his hips push into hers, wincing as her back met with the hard counter.  _Better watch it, there…_  Her lips caught by his, her words were muffled into his mouth.  "Don't…"

He groaned into her mouth in response.  "Don't what…?"

"Don't… crush me… or … the baby…"

"Mmm…"  His passionate kisses slowed, breaking apart and taking deep breaths.  "If I hadn't already crushed you, I would right now…"

Sora's lips barely touched his own, and she would have made some smart remark, had she not inhaled deeply through her nose.  _What's that smell….?_  Taking another whiff of the air, her face twisted in question.  "Is something burning?"  She eased his arms off of her, glancing around what she could see of the kitchen to find the source of what smelled.

Yamato, still lost in a daze, smoothed a hand up the side of her thigh, grabbing a hold of her hip.  "I don't thi-"

"No…"  Her hand held his firmly, and she moved out of his embrace to find the answer.

A pile of something black, and what used to be scrambled eggs, sat in the frying pan, smoke rising from its ashes.

Sora looked skeptically at Yamato, who looked down at her as well.

"Isn't that my robe?"

~*~*~

"You don't even tell me that you rearrange my living room, or bothered to clean it, and then you burn breakfast."

"It's not like there weren't anymore eggs in the fridge."

"But still – you had to get irresponsible and then go and – "

"Well you went along with it!"

"But I wasn't the one who started it!"

"Well if you hadn't gotten so mad…"

"That had absolutely nothing to do with it and you know it…"

He thought.  "If you hadn't not reminded me about the flame still being on-"

"That was your own fault!"

"…"  It didn't seem like he was going to win.  _Hm… what else…?_  A smile flashed on his lips, a gleam in his eye.  "If you hadn't given me a massage and then coyed your way into getting something to eat…!"

"I…-!"  Realization that what he said was true set in.  _Damn… I lost again!_  Looking away in defeat, Sora tried to think her way out of this one.

"There, hah!  You can't get out of it, this time, Sora – I won!"  He began to do a little victory dance around her, blatantly shoving in her face to accept that she wouldn't triumph.

"Yeah, yeah… what do you want for it?"

"Come now, Sora!"  He stopped in front of her, his hands clasped in front of him.  "All I want is for you to not be sad…"

"…"

"And for the living room to stay the way it is, and for you to not take my clothes without asking…"  He eased the robe off of her, which she slapped in the arm for.  "… And I want to be able to stay in here with you."

_That came outta nowhere!_  "Nani?"

"You heard me…"  He slid the robe over his shoulders, cockiness spreading in his face and body language.  "I'm the man of this house now-"

"I still pay half the rent!  And, I still have a job!"

"… As I was saying… I'm the man of this house now, and I think that I should be able to sleep in this…"  He glanced at the bed, then back at Sora.  "… This … Knight-sized-"

"Queen-sized."

"**Knight**-sized bed with you…  Forget about that shady guest room - … come on, Sora – whatever happened…"  He softened up to her, enveloping her in a hug.  "Whatever happened to us – we used to be such good friends!"

Her arms planted firmly at her sides, unmoving; she stood there, glaring at him with disapproval.

"Come on … please?"

Damnit… stupid puppy-dog face…  Before he said anything else, a hand tilted her chin up, her gaze level with his before he kissed her.  She was stiff, however; she wouldn't cave in this time. 

But it was all she could not to.

His lips released hers, and he remained inches away from her.  "Please…" he repeated.

Her brown eyes flickered in his blue orbs, before she kissed him again.  _I'm gonna get him back…_  Ending the kiss all too quickly, she whispered, "I'll think about it."

Practically throwing her out of his embrace, he jumped back, acting like he was deeply hurt.  "You'll think about it!?"

"Well, yeah – remember what happened the last time we slept in the same bed?"

He laughed.  "Oh, I know you wanted that to happen – you were practically begging me all night, subliminally, 'Oh, please, Yamato, I love you!  Come with me to the upstairs room!'"

Looking for an assault weapon, she found no stuffed animal or anything else hard enough… _but a pillow will do just fine…!_

"Oi, chotto!"

"I never said anything like that, I never even hinted at it!  I never said anything to you about liking you previous to that occasion, and I hope that Taichi would never tell you that I liked you before that!"  She raised her hands above her head, the pillow in firm grasp, to deliver the final blow, but just one poke right where she was most vulnerable was all it took for her to come crashing into his arms, giggling like a child.  Hands still working, he kept her in his arms for a few seconds, dragging her around the room, her incessant laughter echoing everywhere.  Slowly, his hands found hers to release the pillow and throw it back onto the bed, as she slumped into his arms from exhaustion.

Tilting her head to his, he asked once more.  "What do you say, Sora…?"

The sincere tone of his voice told her he was serious, and the look in his eyes told her spoke now, not hiding anything.  "Kiss me again…"

His grin was the last thing she saw before his lips covered hers, and she felt his strong arms wrap around her as his lips worked slowly.  He dragged her to the bed, lying her down, kneeling over her a bit to balance his weight.  Arms circled around his neck as his lips worked into a passionate level, feeling her body underneath him steady itself into a more relaxed position.  His warm body moved to lay beside her, until her kisses suddenly stopped at the ringing phone, and she whined into his mouth.

"Hnnn…"

"What's wrong?"

She sighed.  "I told Hikari, Taichi, and Takeru that we'd have a late lunch with them today."

"How late is late?"

She thought, twisting her neck to look at the digital clock by the bed.  _11:42_…  "Hm… 2-ish?"

"Sounds good to me…"

~*~*~

She sat in his lap, still fully-clothed, kissing him with as much desire and passion as he was for her.  Stealing a glance at the table, she broke the kiss momentarily to ask him something.  "Do you want to stop?"

"Do *you* want to stop?"

_12:16…_

~*~*~

Yamato heard the shrilly phone ring in his ear from the hall once again.  His eyes flashed open to look at the clock on the table…  _12:52… _"Mmm… Sora…"

"Nani," she breathed, not opening her eyes.

"Want to start getting ready?"

"What's wrong with being fashionably late?"

…_Such a vixen…_  "Five more minutes…"

~*~*~

_Six minutes…_  She broke the kiss, desperate for air, her breaths coming short.  She gazed up at him watching as he took depth breaths, his forehead resting against hers.  "Remind me never to lay down on a bed with you and kiss you once…"

Yamato crawled into her embrace more, swallowing.  "Why's that?"

"Because then I can't exactly stop…"

He smiled, laughing, still breathing heavily.  Gathering his knees into a kneeling position, he sat up, holding her to him, never breaking their gaze.  "Think we should get ready now?"

"I don't think we should… but it'd be a shame just to leave them there, waiting for us."

He chuckled.  "No it wouldn't, and you know it…"

"And you used to call yourself the holder of the Crest of Friendship…"

"Yeah, the key words being 'used to.'"

She giggled.  _God… I feel like I'm fourteen years old again…_  Rising out of his lap, she took the robe off of him and headed into the bathroom for a shower.

~*~*~

_Where the hell could they be?!_  Takeru's leg hopped up and down in frustration, his foot tapping against the tile floor of the restaurant.  He sat upright in the chair, his arms folded on the table, looking around nervously.  Checking his watch again, he cursed under his breath.  _How could one minute just turn into an hour??  _He sighed.

Hikari heard his release of breath, and glanced over to him after taking a sip of water.  She saw his foot incessantly tapping on the marble tile floor through the glass table, and made an annoyed face.  "Takeru, calm down!" she commanded, placing her hand on his knee for him to stop.  "I'm sure they'll be here soon – they just … probably forgot something."

"It's a good waste of a half hour if they lost something…"  Taichi leaned back in the chair, rolling his eyes.

"Onii-san, mou!  They're your friends, give them time!"

"Sora's always on time – what's keeping her now?"

Hikari glanced back at Takeru, looking at him reassuringly.  She heard Taichi chuckle, and whipped her eyes back to him to find his hands folded in front of his mouth, a goofy smiled on his lips.

"Yamato probably is…"  He laughed again, sitting up to scratch his back.

The girl slapped his shoulder, keeping him quiet.  She sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, thinking of topics of possible conversation.  "Oh, I almost forgot!  I wanted to throw Sora a baby shower!"

"Keep talking – this is probably all the time you'll get until they get here."

Throwing Taichi an annoyed glance, she continued.  "As I was saying… I wanna throw her a baby shower in about…"  The brunette girl trailed off as she reached in her purse for a planner, flipping through the pages with a pen.  "… a month and a half.  Now, to find a location.  I know!  We can do it at-"

"Don't even think it, Hikari!  I have enough time trying to tell Okaa-san that I'm bringing you over; there's no way in hell she'd let me have 12 of us there!"

Hikari scowled at her boyfriend.  "You assume too much.  I was going to say that we can have it at –"

"Not at my apartment, either!  It's still a shambles since I had Kaa-san, Tou-san, and you over for dinner two months ago!"

It was all Hikari could do to control herself from physically assaulting her brother.  "Taichi … I was talking about having it at-"

"Sora, Yamato!"  Takeru stood to greet the couple, knocking into Hikari for her to put her planner away and worry about the shower later.

"I'm sorry we're late!"  Sora embraced the younger blonde, kissing him on the cheek as well.

Yamato shook hands with Taichi, then moving to his otouto.  "We got a bit lost."

Watching as Yamato ruffled his brother's hair, and as Hikari finished her embrace with Sora, Taichi mumbled under his breath, "Where?  In each other?"

Hikari scoffed, slapping his arm before he could hug Sora.  The older girl took notice of Hikari's surprised face, but paid it no mind.  "It's good to see you two again.  How are you feeling?"  His nod indicated his question was aimed at Sora, motioning as he sat down.

Sora made a face before answering.  "I'm feeling okay, thanks.  Morning sickness is starting to take over, but … I think I'm doing okay for it."

Hikari noticed her scowl, and knew then that she had come down with nausea that morning.  _That's why they were late …  _She made a mental note to yell at Taichi later.

"I hate to be rude, but can we stop the nausea-talk?  I'm kinda hungry…"

"I agree, Takeru – I think we should order."

~*~*~

"You think it's too early to say anything?"

Yamato looked across the car to her; she leaned on the roof, her chin resting on her arms.  "Hm?"

"Well, I mean …"  She sighed, trailing off.  

"You mean …?"

Her head rose, her finger tracing invisible patterns on the cold metal roof.  "Well … we got through confessing that I'm pregnant to them …"

"And?" 

She watched as he fumbled with his keys, trying to get the car open.  Sora's autumn eyes processed that he was trying to avoid the situation.  "Why don't we just tell them that we're getting married?"

The keys clanked on the ground.  Yamato sighed, looking down at them, waiting for words to come to his mind.  _Married?  I told her I love her … how am I supposed to tell her right now that I want to marry her?  I've only known that I wanted to take her into my arms and ask her to be mine forever for … hell, ever since the moment I met her, but …  I … she knows that I'll marry her – how could I not?_

_Who am I kidding?  I knew he wouldn't go for it…  God, how stupid am I?  Now I'm just going to scare him away!  Great job, Sora – you really got him this time …_  She laughed, trying to cover up her shame.  "I take your stunned silence as a no.  Right.  How crazy am I?"

He picked up the keys, letting the doors open.

She stepped into the car without another word, leaving him outside.  _Crazy enough to know that I would marry you at this very second._

~*~*~

He sighed, turning out the light on the nightstand and sitting down on the bed.  Her back lay facing him, her face hidden in the shadows.  An uneasy silence cradled each of them ever since the ride home that day, and there was no way either of them would get through the night without uttering a word about it.

_He hasn't said anything to me – that just proves that I've scared him away!  He barely looked at me at dinner…  Maybe I should just drop dead right now._  She audibly sighed as well, bringing the blanket closer to her chin.  Her bare, exposed arms caught the breeze coming in through the slightly open window, and she sunk deeper into the bed.

He sat on the edge of the bed for what seemed like hours, pondering his next move.  _I have to say something to her – I can't just let things drag on.  I don't want to push her away by just ignoring what she said …  But it looks like she's already turned her back on me.  Think, think, Ishida!  What the hell am I going to do?_  His thoughts whisked through his mind, leaving and dissipating just as quickly as they appeared.  Her sharp intake of air brought him out of his small reverie, and he could hear her yawn; a signal that she would soon slumber.  _Now or never…_

She felt the bed shake as his figure relaxed into the mattress; her eyes darting as far away from his figure as they could go as the tremors soon ceased.  Sadness overtook her heart again, shortly followed by shock as his arm wrapped gently around her and his lips touched her ear lightly.

"Sora," he whispered.

Her auburn hair lightly smacked the pillow before being crushed by her head, her body resting on her back now.  She watched as his eyes turned sad and pleading; begging for forgiveness.

"Please, Sora; I don't want to hurt you at all."  His hand rested gently on her lower abdomen, indicating that he was telling the truth.  "It just scared me a little today when you mentioned getting married."

She swallowed, her brow lifting in curious attention.  Her lips began to whisper his name, but he stopped her.

"I know that you probably didn't mean that…"

Her eyes strayed from his.

"But," his fingers smoothed against her cheek, bringing her gaze back to his, "I do hope you know that I love you, and I have every intention of marrying you."

He watched as her eyes slipped closed, her chest rising unsteadily as she inhaled.  _Now I've just made her cry…_  "I just can't marry you now.  I don't know what it is.  I know that I want to, but … I just can't.  Sora, please don't be mad-"

"Sshh…"  Her hand brushed against his, holding it against her cheek.  "I'm not mad.  And I know that you love me.  I must have been such an idiot to say something about marriage this early.  I don't care if you marry me or not.  All I want is you here by my side."

He faintly smiled.  "I'll never leave you."

His arm wrapped gently around her as hers cascaded around his neck, eyes slipping closed in each the comfort of the other's love.  Gently, his lips danced against hers, never wanting to stop.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

And … WE'RE DONE !!!  …Two months after I started this chapter.  *cough*  And at … 1:08 in the morning, people!  Don't worry, I'm on my spring break.

*yawn*

*looks at Yama*  So, Yamato … it's kinda late at night … mind … slipping in my bed and telling me what I just wrote with pure emotion and drama and all the feeling in your heart???  *smiles sweetly*

¬.¬ …  Eh, no, thank you.

*gets flustered*  Fine then – I'll just lock you in a dungeon and never let you come out – you won't even get to see me!

*chibi-Yama dances around*  Wai, wai!

. … sometimes, I just hate that boy.


End file.
